.MTAxOA.Njc0NDg

                                36

many difficult services. I remained at Taos during the winter I made two trips during this time in pursuit of Indians with Col.Beall who was in command of the troops. previous to his departure the colonel had ordered a command to pursue the Indians if necessary to cross over the mountains after them. His orders were promptly carried out and an expedition organized and set in motion. When this party had advanced for some distance they found that the Indians had eluded them + that it was impracticable to cross the mountains the officer in charge was advised by his guards to return to Col. Beall's camp as it was utterly impossible to proceed further. He returned therefore and reported that he had come back because it was utterly impractical to follow the route The Col. replied that there was no such word as impractical in the Soldiers vocabulary, and that nothing ought to be impossible for the Dragoons to accomplish. He thereupon immediately assumed the command himself and I was employed as his guide, we accordingly set out again and after surmounting many difficulties and passing through severe hardships we finally accomplished the object of the expedition after which we returned to Taos, after traversing the Sangre de Cristo pass we came upon an Apache village and captured two Indian chiefs the Colonel had a long talk with them and as they made many promises of peace + friendship they were finally liberated. We then continued on our way and arrived safely at Taos. We remained there till February when Col. Beall heard that a large number of Indians were encamped on the Arkansas River in accordance with the terms of the treaty made by the United States and Mexico by which the United States was supposed to deliver to Mexico all Mexican captives held by the native Indians. It was the intention of the Colonel to visit these Indians and to endeavor to have them